{"id":59440,"date":"2023-07-24T16:59:40","date_gmt":"2023-07-24T20:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=59440"},"modified":"2026-05-06T10:22:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T14:22:36","slug":"benadryl-and-melatonin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/benadryl-and-melatonin\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it safe to mix Benadryl and melatonin to sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s 2 a.m. and you\u2019re lying in bed, wide awake. Despite tucking in hours ago, you have yet to fall asleep. Or, perhaps you drifted off for a few hours, but now peaceful slumber eludes you. Trouble falling asleep\u2014or staying asleep\u2014is a fairly common problem. Insomnia affects 10% to 30% of the adult population, according to <\/span>studies<\/span>, mostly impacting women, older adults, and people with medical or mental health issues. Short-term insomnia becomes chronic insomnia when symptoms last longer than three months, says <\/span>Jay Guevarra<\/span>, MD, a sleep medicine physician at Mount Sinai in New York City.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting an inadequate amount of sleep can have numerous consequences. They range from something as small as falling asleep at your desk to more significant, long-term issues such as depression and poor quality of life. It\u2019s no wonder, then, that many people suffering from sleepless nights reach for an over-the-counter supplement (like <\/span>melatonin<\/span><\/a>) or medication (like <\/span>Benadryl<\/span><\/a>)\u2014or perhaps a combination of the two\u2014to help them fall asleep. But is it safe to take melatonin and Benadryl together? And will that combination of meds really help you get better sleep?<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t

Save up to 80% on Benadryl with SingleCare<\/p>\n\t\t\t

Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tBenadryl 1 bottle (100 Tablets)\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t23663 - Hampton, VA\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\"Food\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t$9.16\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\"Kroger\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t$9.94\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\tSee Benadryl prices at all pharmacies<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n

Why do people take melatonin supplements?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt <\/span>helps to regulate your body\u2019s internal clock known as your circadian rhythm,\u201d says <\/span>Kristi C. Torres, Pharm.D.<\/span><\/a>, a member of <\/span>SingleCare\u2019s Medical Review Board<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> \u201cThis internal clock is part of how your body knows to sleep during the night, dark hours, and be awake during the daylight hours.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As we get older, our bodies produce less melatonin, which is why people often sleep less, or have worse sleep quality, as they age. But i<\/span>t\u2019s a common misunderstanding that melatonin or melatonin supplements make you sleepy, says Dr. Guevarra.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMelatonin promotes a state of quiet wakefulness or drowsiness, then in turn, your body prepares for falling asleep,\u201d she says. \u201cIt peaks in the middle of the night, and as daylight hours come, [melatonin] levels decrease.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to addressing insomnia, a melatonin supplement can be taken to treat symptoms of jet lag, sleep disorders in children, and circadian rhythm sleep disorders in the blind, according to the <\/span>Mayo Clinic<\/span><\/a>. People who do overnight shift work may also use melatonin to try to reset their 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, says Dr. Torres.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Guevarra recommends her patients start with 1 or 2 milligrams of melatonin taken two hours before bed. She adds that if you find yourself working up to 10 milligrams a night (the <\/span>maximum recommended dosage<\/span><\/a>), it\u2019s \u201creally not as efficacious at that point.\u201d It\u2019s worth noting that because melatonin is a dietary supplement and not a drug, it isn\u2019t fully regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), like prescription and OTC drugs are. A <\/span>\u00a0study<\/span><\/a> published in the <\/span>Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine<\/span><\/i>, which examined 31 different melatonin supplements, found that 71% of the supplements studied had a dosage that did not match what was listed on the label.<\/span><\/p>\n

You shouldn\u2019t rely on melatonin to sleep, and you should use it for as short of a period as possible. \u201cIf you are having trouble sleeping at night, the short-term use of melatonin may help,\u201d Dr. Torres says. \u201cIf the insomnia is persistent, however, you should discuss this with your healthcare provider. There may be other issues affecting sleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Common side effects of melatonin include vivid dreams (or nightmares), which could ultimately impact your sleep; grogginess or sleepiness during the next day; and headaches. The <\/span>Cleveland Clinic<\/span><\/a> also notes melatonin could make you dizzy and irritable. There\u2019s also the small possibility of an allergic reaction, according to the <\/span>National Institutes of Health<\/span><\/a> (NIH). If you have symptoms of hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, seek emergency medical help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be aware that melatonin may interact with drugs such as birth control and blood pressure medicines, so check with your healthcare provider before using it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt can make blood pressure medications less effective, so you should always discuss your decision to take melatonin with your doctor first,\u201d Dr. Torres says. \u201cDrugs that are classified as narcotics, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines could be more dangerous when taken with melatonin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Why does Benadryl make you sleepy?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication used to treat hay fever and allergy symptoms such as sneezing, running nose, rash, and red, irritated eyes. People also use Benadryl as a <\/span>sleep aid<\/span><\/a> because of its status as an antihistamine. (<\/span>Unisom<\/span>, or doxylamine, is another popular brand-name antihistamine used for this purpose.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to causing allergic reactions, \u201chistamine is a chemical produced by the brain that promotes wakefulness, so antihistamines, like Benadryl, block its ability to bind to the right receptors in order to promote wakefulness\u2014and that promotes sleepiness,\u201d explains Dr. Guevarra. This side effect is why first-generation antihistamines are used for sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The general dosage guidelines for adults (those 12 and older) of Benadryl is one to two 25 to 50 mg capsules 30 minutes before bedtime. If you\u2019re using a liquid formulation, read the dosage instructions and carefully measure the dose with a medication-measuring device.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The most common side effects of Benadryl are drowsiness and dizziness. (Taking another medication that causes these effects in conjunction with Benadryl\u2014including opioid pain medicine, a benzodiazepine for anxiety, or even certain cough syrups\u2014will compound the sleepiness effect, says Dr. Torres.) You may also experience a dry mouth or nose, lack of appetite, and constipation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to being an antihistamine, Benadryl is an anticholinergic\u2014meaning it blocks the <\/span>neurotransmitter<\/span><\/a> acetylcholine<\/span><\/a>, which <\/span>plays a role in memory<\/span><\/a>. Long-term use of anticholinergics has been linked with an increased risk of dementia, according to <\/span>research<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cThat [risk] led to this movement, especially in the sleep field, to discourage patients from taking Benadryl chronically as a sleep aid,\u201d says Dr. Guevarra. <\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Can you take Benadryl and melatonin together?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Although there are no specific drug interactions linked to mixing Benadryl and melatonin, medical professionals generally frown on taking the two together. The combination can cause excess sedative effects and daytime sleepiness, which makes activities like driving a car or operating other heavy machinery dangerous.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou should not take two drugs that cause sedation without first speaking to your healthcare provider,\u201d Dr. Torres advises. \u201cYou will want to discuss all risks with your healthcare team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you find yourself reaching for multiple sleeping pills over the course of a few nights in a row, Dr. Guevarra says there may be an underlying medical concern causing your insomnia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cConditions that can cause sleepiness include hypothyroidism and iron deficiency,\u201d she says. \u201cThere are also actual sleep disorders that can contribute to insomnia, like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Either way, you\u2019ll want to consult with your healthcare provider for medical advice\u2014he or she may have you undergo a sleep study to identify the root of your sleeplessness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t